Shaun Murray
2010 President

I would first like to personally thank the members of the Vandalia Chamber of Commerce for giving me the opportunity to serve as your president in 2010. I am truly honored.

I would also like to extend my gratitude to Joanna Helm for doing such a great job this past year, as well as to other past presidents, for we would not be where we are now if not for their leadership and dedication. I hope that I can be influential to each of you and to this organization.

Looking back, 2009 was a difficult year for many businesses and residents of Vandalia. The economic downturn greatly affected the Vandalia community, as well as the nation. In these challenging times, it is imperative that we pull together and work as a group to support and promote local business. I personally feel that the current state of the economy provides local businesses with an opportunity to look back and see what has been endured, and it also provides and opportunity to look at what can be accomplished in the future. At this time, I would like to personally thank all local businesses for their hard work, dedication and commitment to the city of Vandalia.

As we begin our journey through 2010, I am filled with hope and optimism for the year ahead, and I believe we have a lot to look forward to. I am excited about our future, and I hope that the possibilities we seek can become realities.

One very exciting event that we have to look forward to this year is the completion of the downtown project. With the construction soon to be complete, citizens of Vandalia, as well as tourists, will be able to enjoy the revamped look of downtown Vandalia. I feel that the completion of this project will prove to be beneficial to all Vandalia businesses.

In 2010, the Chamber of Commerce will have many new officers and directors. We are very fortunate to have members who are willing to dedicate their time and efforts to helping improve this organization and community. Their ideas will provide us with fresh new activities and programs in the coming year, as we work toward our goals.

One goal that we will be actively seeking is to increase our membership. This has been a long-term goal of the organization, which we are going to heavily pursue in 2010. We will continue to provide value to our current members, and we will entice new members by implementing new programs and activities that will provide all chamber members with increased opportunities throughout the community.

This leads into my theme for 2010, which is "Building Relationships for a Better Tomorrow". This theme will entail much communication among members, and also between members and non-members. I hope that each of you take advantage of everything the Chamber of Commerce has to offer, and I ask that you spread the work to those who may be interested in becoming a member. The more individuals we have working toward the cause, the more likely we will succeed in all we do. Remember the chamber slogan, "Doing Collectively What Can't Be Done Alone". We will be elaborating on our new ideas and challenges in the near future.

We have several upcoming events that will provide us with opportunities to expand and achieve our goals. The second annual Home and Lifestyle Expo, which will be held Feb. 27 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., is the first of these events. This has been a very successful activity that gives the local businesses a chance to show all that they have to offer to the consumers of Vandalia. The chamber believes that this is an important event, as it helps keep Vandalia dollars in Vandalia. Another event that we will be hosting is our annual Golf Outing, which will take place on Friday, May 28. This is an outstanding event that continues to grow. Please mark your calendars for both of these events.

In addition to the events hosted by the chamber, we will continue to participate in ribbon-cutting ceremonies and the First Dollar progrm. These activities recognize new and existing businesses for new ownership, new management or new locations. The chamber is very excited about the level of new business interests in Vandalia.

I promise to do my best to serve the Vandalia Chamber of Commerce, and hopefully, I will meet or exceed your expectations as president. Again, thank you for giving me the opportunity. My door is always open. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. If you would like to attend one of our meetings, events, or want additional information, please contct the Chamber of Commerce office at 283-2728, or visit our Web site at www.vandaliachamber.org.


Shaun Murray is Branch President and South Illinois Regional Agricultural Lender for First Bank in Vandalia.